1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a supporting sleeve for leg or arm stumps, namely a liner. More specifically, the present invention relates to a liner for surrounding a stump from its distal end with an elastic electrically insulating material, wherein the sleeve has at least partially a layer of a conductive material.
2. Description of the Related Art
The related art involves liners for prostheses, such as leg prostheses, arm prostheses or the like, consisting of a sleeve enclosing the stump from its distal end and made of an elastic, electrically insulating material such as silicone, polyurethane. Such related art liners are shown, for example in WO 88/00032, WO 98/49977, and EP 0 976 371 A1.
Such liners are used as a cushioned connection between stump and prosthesis shaft, but are also used postoperatively in order to have a subsiding and shaping effect in the healing phase. A common post-surgical routine is to daily apply elastic bandages around the swollen amputation stump to counteract the swelling and accelerate the unavoidable muscle atrophy prior to using a liner. Unfortunately, stump bandaging, if incorrectly performed, may be ineffective and at worst injurious to the patient. After following initial amputation, and after a period using elastic bandages, the resulting stump is fitted to a liner.
Related liners or “sleeve shaped” articles for amputation stumps are known from WO 88/00032 to Klasson, and commonly provide a frusto-conical shape with a truncated end being rounded to receive the stump and a distal end being open to support the stump. As shown in Klasson, such liners often have a clasp or linking mechanism to join the liner to a prothesis and prevent unintended separation.
It is furthermore known that so-called phantom pain can arise after amputations, and can be positively influenced by electromagnetic screening of the stump, e.g. by an electrically conducting textile material applied in dry contact with the skin. An example of such related art is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,473 to Batters.
As detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,473, a metal mesh in the form of a glove or sheet may be wrapped about a portion of the body and an electric current is applied at a shock pulse rate sufficient to “reduce pain . . . without causing heat build-up within the tissue of the human body.” Such treatments are used to sooth arthritis, bone breaks, and other injuries.
However, what is not appreciated by the related art is the prior art is the need to combine the supportive aspects of a liner, with a capacity for every day use of electrotherapy while retaining the ready and secure connection to a prosthesis.
What is also not appreciated by the related art, is that postoperative treatment with elastic bandages may substantially diminished or eliminated and healing promoted by directly employing a liner having an adjustable and useable electrically conductive region for management of pain and discomfort while providing the same support found in elastic bandages.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved liner allowing the ready use overcoming at least one of the detriments noted above.